Baptismal font



May 12, 1959 Filed Oct. 12, 1956 B. J. TONNING ET AL BAPTISMAL FONT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVBNTORS Bernard 111722211115 QTChazrlvms TV: wyai'aff BY W ATTORNEY y 1959 B. J. TONNING ET AL 2,886,393

BAPTISMAL FONT v I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1956 'INVENTORS .Berizardl Ibzzning if Charlca 7V: lVxai-aff ATTORNEY United States Patent BAPTISMAL FONT Bernard J. Tonning and Charles W. Wexstalf, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey The present invention relates to baptismal fonts.

The conventional baptismal front comprises a cabinet which houses a basin for holy water and is usually provided with a cover which can be lifted oif during a baptismal ceremony. In many instances there is no place to set the cover except on the floor, which is inconvenient and which also detracts from the dignity of the ceremony. The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a baptismal font having a pivoted cover which can be lifted slightly and then swung open to give access to the basin.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figurel is a perspective view of the new baptismal font, with the cover therefor in closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same and showing the cover swung to open position;

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the upper part of the font, the plane of section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the font and showing the cover partially swung between closed and open positions;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 7 and showing in detail the pivotal mountings for the cover which in this view is indicated in closed position in dotted lines and in open position in full lines;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5 and indicating the cover in closed position;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5 and indicating the cover in open position; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 5.

Referring now in detail to these drawings, the baptismal font there shown generally comprises an upstanding en closed cabinet 10 which is hexagonal in plan and which has side walls 11 and a substantially horizontal top 12 provided with a central basin-receiving opening 13 in which is suspended a basin 14, and a cover 15 for the font. The basins upper peripheral rim or flange 16, by which it is suspended from the cabinets top 12 is seated in a circular recess 17 so that the cover 15 can lie flush against the top 12 when in its closed position.

The top 12 of the cabinet also has a sleeve-receiving opening 18 located between the rim of the basin 14 and the rim of the top, in one of the corners of the hexagonal top 12. A sleeve 19 is secured in the opening 18 and depends from the top 12 within the enclosed cabinet, said sleeve being provided with a flange 20 at its upper end seated in a recess 21 so as to be flush with the top and secured to the top as by means of woodscrews 22. The sleeve 19 is cut away intermediate its ends to form a horizontal channel 23 of approximately the channel 23 and a removal slot 25 (see Figure 7) extending vertically upwardly from the inner end of the channel and through the top of the sleeve 19. The sleeve 19 also has a small notch 26 (see Figure 7) adjacent the blottom of the channel 23 and directly below the removal s 0t 25.

The hexagonal cover 15 for the font, when in its closed position indicated in Figures 1 and 3, lies flush against the top 12 of the cabinet and is seated within a peripheral rim 27 secured to the cabinet and extending slightly above the top. The cover 15 has a pintle 28 secured to its underside and depending into the sleeve 19, said pintle being provided with a flange 29 on its upper end seated in a recess 30 so as to be flush with the underside of the cover and secured to the cover as by means of wood-- screws 31. The pintle 28 has a radially outwardly exextent and has a retainer slot 24 (see Figure 6) tending lug 32 thereon which is rotatable in the sleeves channel 23 and vertically slidable in the sleeves slots 24 and 25. In the closed position of the cover shown in full lines in Figures 1, 3 and 6 and in dotted lines I in Figure 5, the lug 32 on pintle 28 is seated in the retainer slot 24 of sleeve 19.

When it is desired to use the baptismal font, the cover 15 is grasped by its handle 33 and first lifted straight up-' wardly beyond the cabinets rim 27. This movement of the cover moves the lug 32 on pintle 28 upwardly out of the retainer slot 24 and into the channel 23. The cover may then be rotated outwardly through approximately 180, thus swinging the lug 32 through channel 23 until it seats in the sleeves notch 26 to releasably maintain the cover in its extreme open position seen in Figure 2. From this position, the cover may either be returned to its closed position or, if desired, it can be completely removed from the font by lifting it upwardly during which movement the lug 32 on pintle 28 passes freely upwardly through the removal slot 25. The cover may then be replaced by reversing the steps already described.

It may be found desirable to provide additional mooring for the sleeve 19, such being here shown in the form of a corner block 34 secured in the adjacent corner of the cabinet near the bottom of the sleeve and provided with an aperture 35 in which the sleeve is embraced.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a baptismal font having a cover which may conveniently be swung out of the way to give access to holy water with the fonts basin. While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A baptismal font comprising: an upstanding enclosed cabinet having vertical side walls forming an enclosure of substantially uniform horizontal cross-section throu hout its height and having a horizontal top substantially coextensive with the area defined bv the upper ends of said side walls, said top being provided with a central basin-receiving opening, with a sleeve-receiving opening to one side of said central opening, and with a peripheral rim extending slightly above the top; a basin suspended in said central opening; a sleeve secured in said sleeve-receiving opening and depending from the top within the enclosed cabinet, said sleeve having a portion intermediate its ends cut away to form a horizontal channel of approximately 180 extent and having a retainer slot extending downwardly from one end of said channel; a cover for the font movable to a closed position lying flush against the top of the cabinet and seated within the tops peripheral rim; a pintle secured to the underside of the cover and depending therefrom into said sleeve, said pintle having a radially outwardly extending lug thereon rotatable in said channel and slidable in said retainer slot, the lug being seated in the retainer slot when the cover is in closed position and being movable upwardly into said channel when the cover is lifted upwardly beyond said rim, said lug being swingable in the channel when the cover is rotated approximately 180 to open position, and said lug resting on the horizontal bottom wall of the channel to support the cover in elevated position.

2. A baptismal font comprising: an upstanding enclosed cabinet having flat vertical side walls forming an enclosure of substantially uniform hexagonal horizontal cross-section throughout its height and having a horizontal hexagonal top substantially coextensive with the hexagonal area defined by the upper ends of said side Walls, said top being provided with a central basin-receiving opening, with a sleeve-receiving opening in one corner thereof and with a peripheral extending slightly above the top; .a basin suspended in said central opening; .a sleeve secured in said corner opening and depending from the top within the enclosed cabinet, said sleeve being cut away intermediate its ends to form a horizontal channel of approximately 180 extent and having a retainer slot extending downwardly from one end of the channel and a removal slot extending upwardly from the other end of said channel and through the top of the sleeve, said sleeve having also a notch adjacent the bottom of the channel directly below the removal slot; a hexagonal cover for the font movable to a closed position lying flush against the top of the cabinet and seated within the tops peripheral rim; a pintle secured to the underside of the cover and depending therefrom into said sleeve, said pintle having a radially outwardly extending lug thereon rotatable in said channel and slidable in said slots, the lug being seated in the retainer slot when the cover is in closed position and being movable upwardly into said channel when the cover is lifted upwardly beyond said rim, said lug being swingable in the channel when the cover is rotated approximately to open position and being adapted to rest on the horizontal bottom wall of said channel to support the cover in elevated position, and to seat in said notch to releasably maintain the cover in its fully open position, and said lug being slidable upwardly through the removal slot and out of the sleeve to permit complete removal of the cover from the cabinet when in its open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 477,523 Ette June 21, 1892 680,534 Mason Aug. 13, 1901 722,242 Nehr Mar. 10, 1903 1,090,883 Schott Mar. 24, 1914 1,710,123 Toops Apr. 23, 1929 

